Making History
by Xx.LoveIsABlessing.xX
Summary: #3 in the 100 Themes Writing Challenge.


**#3 : Making History**

Sundance's nervous pawing had Amy leaning down to rub her hand soothingly over his neck, murmuring to him to try and get him to calm down.

"Easy boy, you know you're alright." She said soothingly and the gelding slowly quieted under her touch.

Amy really couldn't blame him for being nervous. This was his first jumping competition.

"Hey Fleming! Maybe you should listen to that nag of yours. He obviously knows he can't win this!" Ashley Grant yelled to her from where she stood with her horse.

Amy ignored her, focusing her attention on her nervous buckskin. She patted his neck again and he quieted, trusting her to not let him get hurt. She smiled and leaned forward in her saddle to rub his neck and talk to him.

"You're okay, Sundance. I'm here and I won't let you get hurt. I love you." She whispered to him and smiled when his ear flicked back to listen to her. After that, Sundance stood rock solid as they waited for their turn to enter the arena and jump.

_"And next into the arena, Amy Fleming on her gelding, Sundance."_

Amy took a deep breath before nudging Sundance forward gently. He didn't hesitate, only flicked an ear back to listen.

"Good luck Fleming! Hope you can finish the course!" Ashley yelled after her and laughed loudly with her group of 'friends'.

As if he knew that Ashley was insulting him, Sundance's ears went back and he snorted angrily.

"Easy boy." Amy whispered as they walked onto the sandy arena floor. She set Sundance up for the first jump and, taking another breath, nudged him with her heels.

The gelding took off, racing to the jump before Amy pulled him up just in time. He gathered himself and rose easily over the jump, clearing it easily and gracefully.

Amy grinned widely as they went to the next jump, Sundance's pace even and perfect as they neared it. She felt the muscles in his body surge as he leapt into the air and over the next jump, clearing it as well and thundering on to the third jump in the course.

Blocking out the crowd and everything else besides her and Sundance, Amy focused on the course and couldn't help but smile each time Sundance cleared a jump.

All too soon, they flew over the final jump and the round was over.

Amy didn't even glance at the time clock as she pulled Sundance up and trotted him to the arena gate, heading to the warm up arena to cool him down.

He seemed to prance through the gate mockingly, holding his head high as they passed by Ashley, who was glaring at them with a venom in her eyes that Amy recognized from when Ashley knew she had lost.

_'What time did we make?' _Amy wondered as they went on to the warm up arena.

Reaching the arena, she dismounted and opened the gate, leading Sundance through before shutting the gate back and mounting back up.

Sundance eagerly pulled on the reins and she laughed.

"Yes you did very good. I take it you want to go some more?" Amy teased him. She laughed as he tossed his head eagerly, making his bit jingle. Amy sent him into a canter around the arena, making him circle once before aiming him at a small jump set up in the middle.

She felt him tense in excitement and couldn't help but grin as he launched them over the small jump, clearing it by at least a feet easily. Amy laughed when they landed and Sundance automatically went to the next jump.

_'He loves it!' _She thought happily as she let him go, letting him tackle every jump in the warm up arena before she finally cantered him around the perimeter of the arena before pulling him to a halt by the gate. It was only then that she noticed they had an audience.

Her mother, grandfather, Soraya, Matt, and Ty were all at the gate, grinning at her eagerly.

Amy walked Sundance through the gate that Ty held open for her before dismounting as he closed it behind Sundance.

"Honey that was amazing! Sundance was a natural!" Marion said excitedly as she threw her arms around her daughter and hugged her tightly.

Ty rubbed Sundance's neck and grinned when the gelding, in too good of a mood to offer his usual snap of teeth, nuzzled him affectionately.

Amy and Sundance accepted the congratulatory hugs and words, Amy beaming proudly and Sundance with his head held high.

"You crushed Ashley's time! She is sooo mad!" Soraya laughed eagerly, clapping her hands in glee.

"Really? I didn't even look at the clock." Amy admitted.

"Let's head back, they're about to start the awards." Jack said.

As a group they started back towards the show ring, talking and laughing about how Sundance had just popped over each jump like they were nothing.

Amy glanced over at Ty, walking on the otherside of Sundance, and blushed when he met her eyes and grinned at her.

"You two were amazing, Ames." He told her as they walked and Amy smiled at him.

"Thanks, Ty." She said.

They reached the arena just in time as the awards started for the division that Amy and Sundance had competed in.

_"Third place goes to Mark Lucas on Lizzie Girl." _The announcer read off and Amy watched as a boy on a pretty bay mare went into the arena to collect his prize, a huge grin on his face.

Amy clapped with the rest of the crowd, her heart lightened even more by the obvious happiness on Mark's face as he held his prize and leaned down to hug Lizzie Girl's neck.

_"Second place goes to Ashley Grant on Bright Magic."_ Was read next and Amy grimaced as she saw the glare on Ashley's face as the girl rode over to the announcer. It wasn't hard to see that she was not happy at all about coming in sescond.

_"And finally, first place is awarded to Amy Fleming on her horse, Sundance." _

Amy's mouth dropped open in shock and she looked to her mother to make sure she wasn't hearing things.

"Well go on!" Her mother said eagerly.

Amy grinned broadly and quickly mounted up, trotting over to the announcer and collecting her blue ribbon and trophy. She and Sundance posed for the winning picture before she went to stand beside her fellow competitors. She ignored the glare that Ashley cut her way.

"Ready? One big group picture!" The cameraman called with a bright smile on his face.

Amy smiled happily, and so did Mark, but all Ashley could manage was a sneer as the bright flash of the camera captured the moment, preserving it in color for all to see.


End file.
